Information on the above subject is scarce. However, the DIRB was able to obtain documents concerning three Sikh refugee claimants from the United States and Europe who were arrested upon return to India and subsequently released (Amnesty International 5 Mar. 1992; WSN 21 Feb. 1992.; Jobe and Melrod 9 Mar. 1994; SAHRDC 18 Mar. 1994).

Information was also provided to the DIRB by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service in Delhi and by Asiaweek in Hong Kong that tends to substantiate the view that Sikhs returning to India will not necessarily encounter life threatening situations. Please see attached documents.

Additional information which may also be of interest was sent to the DIRB by offices of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Ottawa and Washington, the Refugee Legal Centre in London, Documentation Refugies in Paris, and the Jesuit Refugee Service/Asia Pacific in Bangkok. Please refer to the attached documents.

A list of other government and non-governmental organizations that were contacted by the DIRB but were unable to provide specific information on the above subject is provided below.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Amnesty International. 5 March 1992. Urgent Action Appeal. (AI Index UA 75/92). London: Amnesty International.

Jobe and Melrod, Attorneys at Law, San Francisco, CA. 4 March 1994. Telephone interview with representative.

South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC), New Delhi. 18 March 1994. Information faxed to the DIRB.

World Sikh News (WSN) [Stockton, CA]. 21 February 1992. "Visiting Sikh Youth Arrested in Bombay."

Attachments

Amnesty International. 28 October 1993. Urgent Action. (AI Index EUR 45/14/93). London: Amnesty International.

. 30 July 1993. Urgent Action. (AI Index EUR 45/09/93). London: Amnesty International.

. 5 March 1992. Urgent Action Appeal. (AI Index ASA 20/24/92). London: Amnesty International.

Asiaweek [Hong Kong]. 14 March 1994. Letter faxed to DIRB.

Documentation Refugiés [Paris]. 16 March 1994. Information faxed to the DIRB.

Jesuit Refugee Service/Asia Pacific, Bangkok. 16 March 1994. Letter faxed to the DIRB.

Refugee Legal Centre, London. 18 March 1994. Information faxed to the DIRB.

South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC), New Delhi. 18 March 1994. Information faxed to the DIRB.

United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Ottawa. 8 March 1994. Information faxed to the DIRB.

. Washington, DC. 14 March 1994. Information sent to the DIRB.

United Press International (UPI). 27 November 1985. AM Cycle. Laurie Watson. (NEXIS)

United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, New Delhi. 16 March 1994. Letter faxed to the DIRB.

West Coast Immigration Consultants Ltd., Vancouver. 9 July 1992. Information faxed to the DIRB.

World Sikh News (WSN) [Stockton, CA]. 21 February 1992. "Visiting Sikh Youth Arrested in Bombay."

Other Sources Contacted

The American Sikh Information Centre, San José, CA.

Amnesty International, Toronto.

Asia Watch, Washington.

The Canadian Consulate in Bombay.

The Canadian High Commission, New Delhi.

Centre for Migration Studies, Staten Island, NY.

Dutch Refugee Council, Amsterdam.

The Fifth Estate, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Toronto.

Human Rights Law Journal, Kehl am Rhein, Germany

Immigration and Naturalization Service, Asylum Office, Washington, DC.

Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information Centre, Washington, DC.

Inter Church Committee for Refugees, Toronto.

Institute for Education and Advocacy, Minneapolis.

International Organization for Migration (IOM), London.

Jobe and Melrod, Attorneys at Law. San Francisco, CA.

Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, New York.

Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Minneapolis.

The National Asylum Project, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MS.

Netherlands Institute for Human Rights, Utrecht.

Refugee Documentation Project, York University, Toronto.

Refugee Legal Centre, London.

State of Minnesota Refugee Office, Minneapolis.

United States Committee for Refugees, Washington, DC.

United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Geneva.

World Sikh Organization, Nepean, ON.